Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S 51

Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S 51

As regards the country through which we had passed being adapted for a

railway, there was no doubt that a good line could be made through it,

although at considerable expense; the difficulty was how to cross the

main ridge which separated the valley of the Guadiana from that of the

Tagus. It certainly was most desirable to connect Abrantes with Elvas,

but the descent from it to the Guadiana valley was too rapid; still,

this was only a matter of expense. I thought that some more practicable

gap through the ridge might be found farther southward, but this I was

obliged to leave for future investigation.

 

I now determined to proceed northwards, in order to ascertain whether

a line for a railway could be obtained preferable to that which we had

previously examined when returning from Coimbra.

 

Having slept at our old quarters at Thomar, we proceeded to the banks

of the Zezere, which we found to be extremely lofty and falling rapidly

to the river. We proceeded for some miles along them, but the higher we

went up the river, the higher we found the hills; in fact, there was no

valley except that occupied by the river, so that we had to give up all

hopes of a line in that direction. However, in the course of a few days’

explorations we were fortunate enough to find an easily practicable line

for the northern railway, in the direction of Oporto.

 

In one of these expeditions we met a Portuguese gentleman dressed in the

native costume, and attended by his servant. He courteously saluted us in

good English, and then asked where we were going, and what we were doing,

which, of course, we told; he then asked, “Where do you sleep to-night?”

and when we told him, he said, “Nonsense; you cannot and you shall not

sleep there: it is not fit for a dog” (in which he was not far wrong). “I

live close by. Yon must come and sleep at my house, and leave as early

as you like to-morrow morning.” We gladly accepted his invitation. We

returned to the cottage, dressed ourselves in rather better costume,

while our new friend rode forward to receive us. His house was something

like a good farm, surrounded by a courtyard and farm-buildings, situated

in the midst of a kind of rough park. The night was very dark, and we

had some difficulty in making our way through the woods, and if it had

not been for the barking of the dogs, we should scarcely have found it.

However, we got there, and were most cordially received, shown into a

comfortable room with a blazing wood fire, and in about half an hour

after sat down to an excellent supper, with plenty of good wine.

 

Our host was a most excellent and well-informed man of about sixty,

of the middle size, rather stout and well-made, with a fine open

countenance. His name was Don S. de Silva. He had served in the

Portuguese army under the Duke of Wellington, and had been engaged in

several battles with the French, of which he was very proud. He took the

greatest interest in the railways, offered every assistance in his power,

and insisted upon our making his house our home whenever we came that

way. He said that after the war he had retired to his estate, and devoted

the whole of his time to farming, and that he passed a very active,

pleasant time. I think he said that his wife and family were at Lisbon,

where they frequently went, as they had many friends and connections

there. We were shown into a comfortable and clean double-bedded room,

and the only thing we required to make us thoroughly comfortable was

more blankets, for the night was excessively cold. However, I slept

soundly, and awoke next morning thoroughly refreshed. We had an excellent

breakfast, and took leave of our worthy host with many thanks for his

most hospitable entertainment.

 

We reached Thomar about midday, having travelled over a rather better

road than usual. Here we halted at the Old Inn for a couple of hours,

and then made the best of our way over the old road to Basquenha, before

mentioned, where we slept. The next day we hurried on by Santarem,

caught the tugboat and the steamer at the White House, and reached the

Braganza, Lisbon, the same evening, having been absent about eighteen

days; fortunately, with the exception of the first day, we had tolerably

fine weather, without which we should have had a good deal of difficulty

in making such a rough journey.

 

I forgot to mention that while Mr. Giles and myself went to Coimbra

and Oporto, we sent Mr. O’Neil to explore the line of the Tagus beyond

Abrantes as far as the frontier, in order to ascertain whether there

was any practicable line for a railway in that direction. Mr. O’Neil,

however, gave a very unfavourable account of it, for a few miles beyond

Abrantes the Tagus passes through a deep chasm, hemmed in on both sides

with steep, precipitous granite rocks, swarming with eagles, and wild

and desolate to a degree. There were scarcely any inhabitants save a few

shepherds, clad in goat-skins, who lived in small cottages stuck in the

clefts of the rocks, or built upon some small patches of ground close by

the margin of the river, with a few vegetables and fruits growing round

them. They were thoroughly surprised at seeing Mr. O’Neil; they said they

were never visited by strangers, and could not conceive why he had come

there. Nevertheless, they were civil, and gave him freely the best they

had, which was very little indeed, and would scarcely take anything in

return; when pressed, they said they would keep the money for his sake,

or would buy something in remembrance of him.

 

The eagles appeared quite at home there, and were seldom molested, except

when they had carried off some favourite pet-lamb or kid, or had paid a

visit to the poultry. Mr. O’Neil’s report was so unfavourable that we

did not think it advisable to pursue our investigations farther in that

direction.

 

We had now pretty well explored the country between the Tagus and the

Douro for the north, and the Tagus and the Guadiana for the east line to

connect Portugal with Spain, and it only required that these should be

investigated to ascertain which was best. Upon my arrival at Lisbon, I

called upon M. Fontes, and reported what I had done. We had also a good

deal of conversation about their finances; arranging affairs with Shaw,

Waring, and Co.; getting good contractors for making further lines;

raising a loan in England, &c. I said with all deference that the whole

of these things might be satisfactorily settled; but that the first and

most important of all was to arrange matters with the Stock Exchange in

England, for until this was done a loan could not be obtained (and the

Government was much in want of money) without paying very high interest,

which would soon consume the revenues of the country. For example, their

stock of 50 was only nominally quoted at 18 to 20, for which they paid

3_l._ interest, or 15 per cent.; whereas, if they settled with the Stock

Exchange, their funds would at once rise to 40 or upwards, and thus they

might borrow at 7 per cent. I further ventured to hint that by free

trade--that is, lowering their import duties--the revenue would be much

benefited, and that their exports would be increased in the same ratio.

M. Fontes listened with much attention, but said nothing.

 

Having finished my business, I prepared to return to England, and

was told by M. Fontes that I should have an audience of the King. I

accordingly presented myself, and had an audience of his Majesty Dom

Pedro, who was an exceedingly well-informed, sensible young man, of about

twenty-one, and whose sole object and desire was the advancement and

improvement of his country, to which he devoted himself day and night.

He was exceedingly amiable and modest, and much beloved and respected,

not only by his own subjects, but by every person who had the honour of

being presented to him. His Majesty received me in the most condescending

manner, entered into the subject of railways, the great advantage they

would be to Portugal, the making of common roads to join them, the

benefit of free trade, and the necessity of improving agriculture and

extending the cultivation of vines, olives, corn, fruits, and all native

produce, as well as the improvement of the harbours, and everything else

which would advance the prosperity of the country. He had studied all

these subjects thoroughly, and was perfectly at home in them; and with

regard to the finances, he quite agreed with me. I took my leave of his

Majesty, and he shook me by the hand, and bade me farewell, trusting that

he should soon see me again.

 

I then called upon the Duke de Saldanha, the President of the Cabinet and

Commander-in-Chief of the Army, a very estimable man, who spoke English

very well; he had served under the Duke of Wellington during the great

Peninsular war. He spoke English perfectly, and was very popular amongst

his countrymen, and always happy to see the English. When I told him that

I was about to leave the next day for England, he said that he was very

glad to hear it. He further remarked that a Cabinet Council had been held

the day before, and that I should hear more of it before the day was over.

 

I returned to the Braganza, packed up my things, and was ready to leave

by the packet the next day. At nine o’clock the same evening I received

a message from M. Fontes to come to him at his office. I went there

immediately, and he said he had been ordered to proceed to England with

me, to endeavour to settle the matter in dispute between his Government

and the English Stock Exchange, and the quarrel with the railway

contractors.

 

We started together next morning, and on arriving in London I had the

pleasure of being partly instrumental in bringing about an arrangement

between the principal holders of Portuguese stock in England and the

Portuguese Government, to their mutual satisfaction and advantage; also

an arrangement between the Portuguese and Messrs. Shaw, Waring, and Co.,

which, as we shall see, was not subsequently ratified. M. Fontes returned

to Portugal with considerable _éclat_, having re-established the credit

of Portugal with their English stockholders, and settled the railway

difficulty, and it was thought that he and his ministry had a long and

prosperous career before them. Unfortunately, however, this turned out

quite the contrary; whether it was envy at his success, or some other

political cause, I do not know, but in the spring of the following year,

1856, Fontes and his ministry were obliged to resign, and the Marquis de

Loulé, a connection of the royal family, succeeded him. The Marquis de

Loulé was a remarkably fine, handsome man, a thorough gentleman, with

considerable talents, of imperturbable temper and great good humour; I

know no man with whom he might better be compared than the late Lord

Palmerston. Loulé, like Fontes, was equally desirous of completing the

railway system of Portugal.

 

I continued the surveys for a line between Coimbra and Oporto, and when

they were completed I received a tender from Messrs. Peto and Betts,

saying they would execute the line for 10,000_l._ per mile, without the

land.

 

As his Royal Highness the Prince Consort took considerable interest

in the improvement of Portugal, and as I had heard indirectly that

information respecting the progress of the railways would be gratifying

to him, I communicated with his Royal Highness’s secretary, and received

a command to go to Windsor. I went, and was received in the most affable

manner. The Prince was thoroughly acquainted with everything going on in

Portugal, and took great interest in the construction of railways in that

country. He thanked me for the information I had communicated, and wished